Magnifying receptacle for clinical thermometers and the like



April 9, 1957 J. PRISAMENT 2,787,937

AGNIFYING RECEPTACLE FOR CLINICAL THERMOMEITERS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb.27, 1953 MAGNIFYING RECEPTACLE FOR CLINICAL THERMOMETERS AND THE LIKEThis invention relates to a receptacle or container for clinicalthermometers or similar instruments embodying fine graduations andminute indicia which require reading from time to time.

The primary object of the invention is to produce an instrumentreceptacle which is especially applicable for use as a container tohouse a clinical thermometer when not in use, and which is adapted to beutilized in effecting reading of graduations and indicia on theinstrument by being equipped with a magnifying lens coupled with acooperating built in source of illumination whereby fine graduations andextremely fine indicia on the instrument positioned in the receptableare rendered readily discernable; the invention being particularlyserviceable in facilitating the accurate reading of clinicalthermometers in the sick room or in the field, as by doctors and nurses,where surrounding illumination is inadequate or where the employment ofordinary lamps and other extraneous sources of light is eitherimpossible or would be disturbing to a patient or objectionable for anyreason such as in military operations where display of light isprohibited.

Another object is to provide a receptacle of the above character whichis so constructed as to provide a compartment for the reception of theinstrument to be housed therein and which compartment is so arrangedthat the instrument may be readily placed therein and removed therefrom,and which receptacle is'also formed so as to afford a substantialmounting for a magnifying lens and an incorporated source of light.

Another object is to provide a combined lens and lamp construction inthe receptacle whereby the lens will cooperate with the lamp on lightingthe latter in illuminating graduations and associated indiciaon aninstrument positioned within the receptacle with such graduations andindicia disposed in reading position opposite the lens, and whereby theillumination will be largely confined to the vision of the reader.

Another object is to provide a combined lens and lamp construction in aclinical thermometer receptacle whereby rninnte graduations and indiciaon a thermometer contained therein may be rendered so highly visible asto be instantly discernable, thereby enabling flash reading of theinstrument and thus obviating prolonged illumination of the lamp.

A further object is to provide a construction in thereceptacle whereby athermometer contained therein Will be subjected to a disinfecting orgermicidal action by exposure to vapors developed from a volatileantiseptic material.

With the foregoing objects in view together with such other objects andadvantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in theparts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated by way of example inthe accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the receptacle with a cover portionthereof partly' removed;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the receptacle in longitunited StatesPatent C dinal section partly in elevation with the cover removed andshowing a clinical thermometer as housed therein;

Pig. 3 is an enlarged end view as seen in the direction of the arrow 3in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged end view as seen in the direction of the arrow 6in Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of effectingreading of the thermometer; and

Fig. 8 is a detail in longitudinal section illustrating .a modificationof magnifying lens and the mode of the mounting same.

Referring to the drawing more specifically A indicates generally anelongated tubular housing which is preferably of ovoidal cross sectionand one end portion of which is formed interiorly thereof with a pair ofparallel longi tudinally extending compartment 8 and 9 separated by apartition 16. The compartment 8 is preferably cylindrical andconstitutes a flash light container and has an inner end wall 11disposed intermediate the ends of the housing A interiorly thereof whichwall is formed with an axial aperture 12 through which extends and inwhich seats the tip portion M of an electric lamp B removably positionedin the compartment 8 and abutting the wall 11.

The outer end of the compartment 8 is normally closed by a removablescrew cap C threaded in engagement with the cylindrical wall of thecompartment 3 formed in part by the partition 10 and the side wall 15 ofthe housing A.

A conventional dry cell battery D is disposed in the compartment 8between the lamp B and the cap C and interposed between the inner end ofthe battery and the lamp B and seating thereon is an expansilecontractable coil spring 16 which normally spaces the center contactterminal a of the battery from the companion contact terminal b of thelamp and also serves as a conductor between the outside terminals of thelamp and battery as is common in flash light construction.

A reciprocal push button 17 is mounted on and extends through the cap Caxially thereof with its inner end disposed contiguous the outer end ofthe battery D and with its outer end extending a short distance from thecap for engagement by the thumb or a finger of an operator while,

holding the receptacle in the hand whereby the battery D may be moved inopposition to the spring 16 to make electrical connection with the lampB through the con: casts a and b to direct current through the lamp andeffect illumination thereof.

The compartment 9 affords a recess in which is mounter the inner endportion of an elongated transparent tube E having a closed inner end 0which abuts an end wall 18 of the housing A; the other end of the tube Bbeing open and terminating adjacent the inner face of the other end wall19 of the housing A. The outer end portion of the tube E thus projectsacross a chamber d within the housing A and extending between the innerwall 11 of the compartment 8 and the end wall 19 of the housing whichend wall 19 is formed with an opening e opposite the open end of thetube E.

The tube E forms a container for a clinical thermometer F or similarinstrument which is insertable in the open end of the tube through theopening e and is removable from the tube through said opening. A snaphinged lid 20 mounted on the housing end wall 19 normally closes theopening 2 to confine the thermometer F in the tube B when housed in thereceptacle.

A pad G of cotton or other soft absorptive material is seated in thetube E against the closed end 0 thereof which pad may be saturated witha suitable volatileantiseptic liquid by which the thermometer disposedin the tube will be subjected to a disinfecting or germicidal action.

The portion of the housing wall extending between the Walls 11 and 19and overlying the outer end portion of the tube E is formed with anelongated sight opening 21 which is covered by a magnifying lens Harranged in the chamber d with the marginal portion of its outer faceseating against the inner portions of the wall 15 bordering the opening21; the opening 21 being thus disposed to expose the thermometer to viewand the lens H being formed and arranged to magnify graduations andindicia on the thermometer when effecting reading thereof as will belater described.

The above recited housing structure is characterized by the embodimentof the article receiving chamber (1! at one end portion thereof providedwith a sight opening in its side wall cross which extends a magnifyinglens, with an opening e through which the article to be viewed is passedto position it within the chamber d, together with a flash-lightreceiving compartment 8 disposed in the other end portion of the housingwith said chamber and compartment separated by an intermediate wall 11formed with the aperture 12 through which the tip 14 of the flash-lightlamp projects into the chamber d opposite one end of the lens H. By thisarrangement rays from the lamp will be directed into the chamber d ontothe face of an article disposed in the latter and by forming andarranging the lens H as later described a portion of the rays from thelamp will be directed longitudinally into the lens from an end thereof.

As a means for facilitating mounting of the lens H,

and to afford a substantial support therefor, the housing end wall 19 isformed on its inner face with a transverse rib 22 arranged forengagement with a companion groove 23 formed on the outer end 1 of thelens H which is presented to the wall 19, and the other or inner end gof the lens is formed with a tip it which is snap engageable with agroove 24 formed in the outer face of the end wall 11; the housing Abeing sufliciently flexible and resilient to permit springing thereofsuch distance as to enable positioning of the lens H in seatedengagement at its ends with the rib 22 and groove 24 and to grip theends of the lens when so engaged.

Where thus seated the lens H will be securely held in place in closeabutting relation to the wall 15 and carried on the end walls 11 and 19of the housing A. The inner end g of the lens H is bevelled to provide aflat surface which inclines inwardly and downwardly from the tip h andextends diagonally relative to the tip 14 of the lamp B which projectsfrom the wall 11 and abuts the end g of the lens intermediate the upperand lower edges thereof. By this arrangement light rays emittedhorizontally from the lamp are directed into and through the lenslengthwise thereof, while at least a portion of the remaining light rayswill be directed laterally and downwardly from the sides of the tip 14into the chamber d through the space encompassing the lamp tip betweenthe inclined inner end g of the lens and the outer face of the wall 11.

The lens H is formed of a light conductive plastic such as Lucitewhereby the light rays directed to the end of the lens will effectlumination of the body of the lens throughout thereby augmentingvisibility of the portion of the thermometer disposed beneath the lens,whereby with direct and reflected light from the lamp, will produceuniform or at least substantially uniform illumination throughout thechamber a.

The housing A is fitted with a telescopic cover 1 cmbodying a tube 25open at one end and formed to slidably receive and conform to an endportion of the housing A and having a length to extend over and coverthe lens H when the cover is applied. An end wall 26 on the tube25-closes the outer end of the tube and is designed to overlie the endwall 19 of the housing A.

In the operation of the invention the receptacle is employed as a caseor container for a clinical thermometer or similar instrument when notin use; the instrument being housed in the transparent tube E as shownin Fig. 2 with the outer end of the latter then closed by the lid 20 andwith the tubular cover I telescoped on the end portion of the housing Acarrying the lens H to protect the latter and to hold the lid 20 againstaccidental opening by the end wall 26 of the cover then overlying thelid contiguous thereto. When occasion arises to use the thermometer thecover I is removed, the lid 20 is opened and the thermometer F isejected at least in part from the open end of the tube E by tilting thehousing A longitudinally with the open end of the tube E lowermost sothat the thermometer will slide downwardly within reach of the hand ofthe operator and by which the thermometer is grasped and its completeremoval effected.

After employing the thermometer to determine body temperature or anyother temperature in the usual manner, the thermometer is inserted partway into the tube E and positioned in the latter to dispose thegraduations and indicia thereon in a position where they may be observedthrough the lens H as shown in Fig. 7. Under ordinary conditions ofextraneous lighting, reading of the graduations and indicia may bereadily effected by reason of their magnification by the lens H, butwhen such lighting is inadequate for clear accurate reading of thethermometer, the flash light lamp B is illuminated by pressing thebutton17 so as to move the battery D into electrical connection with thelamp Bin the usual manner. On lighting of the lamp the magnified graduationsand indicia of the thermometer will be rendered highly visible so thatquick reading thereof may be effected and after which the button 17 isreleased whereupon the spring 16 will retract the battery therebybreaking the circuit through the lamp and extinguishing the light. T hethermometer may then be thrust to its housed position within the tube Eor it may be removed and replaced as need be.

On disposing the thermometer wholly within the tube E, the lid 20 isclosed so as to confine the thermometer in the housing A. The cover Imay then be applied to the housing A to cover and protect the lens H andhold the lid 20 against accidental opening.

The telescoping cover I may be applied to the housing A to extendpartially over the lens H as shown in Fig. 1 while the thermometer F isonly partly inserted in the tube B so as to vary the exposure of thelens and whereby the exposure of the lens may be reduced to there by cutoff a. portion of the rays emitted through the lens when the lamp is illumined, as where a minimum of emitted light is desirable.

in some instances it may be found desirable to form the plastic lens Hwith an inwardly inclined outer end as indicated at i in Fig. 8 toattord a space between the lens and the end wall 19 of the housing, suchspace opening to the chamber d whereby certain of the light raysdirected from the lamp B longitudinally through the lens and impinged onthe inner surface of the latter will be refracted downwardly andrearwardly from such surface (which is reflective) into the chamber (Ito thereby augment illumination thereof. When this construction isemployed, the lens is formed with an end tip which is engaged in arecess k in the inner face of the end wall 19.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a case forholding a clinical thermometer or similar instrument which is adapted tobe utilized in effecting reading of the instrument by magnification ofgraduations and indicia thereon and where occasion requires, to affordadequate illumination of the instrument to enable accurate readingthereof.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention,I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth,and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalentsof the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within thepurview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a receptacle for a clinical thermometer or similar article, anelongated tubular housing embodying a side wall, end walls and anintermediate transverse wall with an article receiving chamber extendingbetween said transverse wall and one of said end walls and with aflash-light receiving compartment extending between said transverse walland the other of said end Walls; said side wall being formed with anelongated sight opening extending longitudinally thereof along thelength of said chamber; a magnifying lens abutting the inner face ofsaid side wall at opposite sides of said sight opening, the inner faceof said lens being spaced from the opposed portion of the housing sidewall and forming the upper wall of said chamber when said housing ishorizontally disposed; said lens having a beveled end presented to saidtransverse wall and forming a gap opening to said chamber between theinner marginal portion of said lens and the adjacent face of saidtransverse wall; said transverse wall being formed with a circularaperture leading from said compartment and opening only to said gapopposite the beveled end of said lens; and a flash-light in saidcompartment including an electric lamp having a tip extending throughsaid aperture into said gap and presented to the beveled end of saidlens whereby a portion of the rays from said lamp will be directed intothe beveled end of said lens and another portion will be directed intosaid chamber upon the face of an article therein presented to said lens.

2. In a receptacle for a clinical thermometer or similar instrumentembodying an elongated tubular housing having a side wall and opposedend walls, and an intermediate transverse wall, said side wall beingformed with an elongated sight opening leading lengthwise thereof; amagnifying lens extending across said opening interiorly of saidhousing, an article receiving chamber in said housing enclosed in partby said lens and side wall, one of said end walls being formed with anopening leading to said chamber for the passage of articles to and fromsaid chamber, a flash-light receiving compartment in said housingextending longitudinally thereof from the side of said transverse wallopposite said chamber, an opening in the other of said end walls leadingto said compartment, said transverse wall being formed with an apertureopening to said chamber opposite an end of said lens; a flashlight insaid compartment including an electric lamp having a tip extendingthrough said aperture and into said chamber; said lens having a beveledend overlying and abutting the tip of said lamp whereby a portion of therays from said lamp will be directed into the beveled end of said lensand another portion thereof will be directed into said chamber upon thesurface of an article therein presented to said lens.

3. In a receptacle for a clinical thermometer or similar articleembodying an elongated tubular housing having end walls; a flash-lightreceiving compartment in said housing extending longitudinally thereoffrom one of said end walls having a transverse wall at its inner enddisposed intermediate the ends of said housing, said transverse wallbeing formed with an aperture opening to the interior of said housing, aflash-light in said compartment including an electric lamp having a tipextending through said aperture, said housing having a sight openingleading from the outer marginal portion of said apertured wall towardthe other end wall of the housing and having an article receivingchamber interiorly thereof opposite and co-extensive with said sightopening; and a magnifying lens in said housing extending across saidsight opening forming a side of said chamber, said lens having a beveledend overlying the tip of said lamp whereby a portion of the rays fromsaid lamp will be directed into one end of said lens and another portionthereof will be directed into said article receiving chamber; one of theend walls of said housing being provided with an opening leading to saidlast named chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,222,948 Hawthorne Apr. 17, 1917 1,367,879 Laird Feb. 8, 1921 1,741,267Zwicke Dec. 31, 1929 1,819,919 Palmer Aug. 18, 1931 2,127,163 Davis Aug.16, 1938 2,316,301 Ullman Apr. 13, 1943 2,417,902 Barrows Mar. 25, 19472,460,051 Welch Ian. 25, 1949 2,554,854 Chomes May 29, 1951 2,586,581Tschischeck Feb. 19, 1952 2,586,723 Sakols Feb. '19, 1952 2,677,965Safiir May 11, 1954

